Strikers

[Reading Rebel]

What is the current situation with the Ben Harris and Elliott Benyon injuries?

With only loan strikers Dan Roberts and George Cowmeadow currently fit and available are we looking to bring in anyone else to bolster our attacking options? 

Edited October 3, 2022 by Reading Rebel

[Ian g f]

1 hour ago, Reading Rebel said:

What is the current situation with the Ben Harris and Elliott Benyon injuries?

With only loan strikers Dan Roberts and George Cowmeadow current fit and available are we looking to bring in anyone else to bolster our attack? 

We can't on a shoe string budget if we brought someone in what happens when our strikers are fit hence on loan works best

[Reading Rebel]

22 minutes ago, Ian g f said:

We can't on a shoe string budget if we brought someone in what happens when our strikers are fit hence on loan works best

Ian, we must have saved some of our existing budget when Jon North and Dobbo left.

Ok we are more than likely paying a portion of Dan Roberts wages but George Cowmeadow is costing us nothing.

George Cowmeadow has hardly played and will more than likely be returning to Swindon in a couple of weeks if not sooner.

That's why I asked about our injury situation with Ben and Elliott because if they are long term and Dan Roberts gets injured or has to go back to Dartford we are stuffed.

[Neil Baker]

We had a 7 day approach in for a player from a lower level that we have met with today, he has some other options, so time will tell.

Whilst we did save money on Northy and Dobbo we are also trying to keep the budget as sensible as possible, as crowds are down and we went out of the FA Cup, as before we will never do anything to jeopardise the club, and feel that we work with the club on this.

So do not expect an experienced player coming in at this stage, as it will not be happening, so will either be a loan, or someone from a lower level with promise.

George Cowmeadow loan finishes on the 15th and Robbo is with us until the Weymouth game.

Elliott started some running Thursday, and with only one game now in 3 weeks we hope that come Weymouth game he will be back, I would expect Ben to be out for at least 4-6 weeks from Tuesday just gone.

[Reading Rebel]

1 hour ago, Neil Baker said:

We had a 7 day approach in for a player from a lower level that we have met with today, he has some other options, so time will tell.

Whilst we did save money on Northy and Dobbo we are also trying to keep the budget as sensible as possible, as crowds are down and we went out of the FA Cup, as before we will never do anything to jeopardise the club, and feel that we work with the club on this.

So do not expect an experienced player coming in at this stage, as it will not be happening, so will either be a loan, or someone from a lower level with promise.

George Cowmeadow loan finishes on the 15th and Robbo is with us until the Weymouth game.

Elliott started some running Thursday, and with only one game now in 3 weeks we hope that come Weymouth game he will be back, I would expect Ben to be out for at least 4-6 weeks from Tuesday just gone.

Thanks for the reply Bakes.

[Irishadrian]

3 hours ago, Reading Rebel said:

Ian, we must have saved some of our existing budget when Jon North and Dobbo left.

Ok we are more than likely paying a portion of Dan Roberts wages but George Cowmeadow is costing us nothing.

George Cowmeadow has hardly played and will more than likely be returning to Swindon in a couple of weeks if not sooner.

That's why I asked about our injury situation with Ben and Elliott because if they are long term and Dan Roberts gets injured or has to go back to Dartford we are stuffed.

Dartford have had a couple of recent injuries to goalscorers including one in their last game v Hungerford and there are calls for Dan Roberts to return on their social media so he may well be recalled

[Neil Baker]

Dan can not be recalled until after the 22nd of October.

[Reading Rebel]

Looks like we've dipped out on the young striker from a lower level.

Hopefully we can keep hold of Dan Roberts for another month until Elliott gets up to speed and we see the return of Ben Harris.

[GlenSTFC]

19 minutes ago, Reading Rebel said:

Looks like we've dipped out on the young striker from a lower level.

Hopefully we can keep hold of Dan Roberts for another month until Elliott gets up to speed and we see the return of Ben Harris.

Is this a lack of ambition by the lad? So he’s playing at a lower level and has the opportunity to test himself at step 2 but decides to stay. Maybe it was down to money or maybe he wanted guarantees on starting?

[Jon Underwood]

Sadly he didn’t seem to believe us when we told him he would get opportunities to play and that with our current injuries he had a chance to earn a starting place and keep it.

I think others were in his ear telling him Ben and Elliot would take his place once they were fit.

Disappointing but we did all we could to convince him. 

[GlenSTFC]

2 minutes ago, Jon Underwood said:

Sadly he didn’t seem to believe us when we told him he would get opportunities to play and that with our current injuries he had a chance to earn a starting place and keep it.

I think others were in his ear telling him Ben and Elliot would take his place once they were fit.

Disappointing but we did all we could to convince him. 

Certainly don’t doubt you and Bakes tried everything. Can you say what level he’s at?

[Jon Underwood]

Two below us but I don’t want to say any more than that. It’s done and we’ll move on.

[GlenSTFC]

What a wasted opportunity, maybe he’s been wrongly advised. He may well regret this decision… so are you looking for another striker or are you leaving it for now?

[Jon Underwood]

We want to see how Ben and Elliot progress next week but we wanted a forward for a reason (as we know we’re short on options up there currently) so having missed out on this lad we’ll continue to explore other options.
 

We want to keep our momentum going in the league and want the strongest squad possible but we’re also having to be very careful financially right now as Bakes mentioned on here recently. 

We talk about it every day and will review it again after the weekend.

[Reading Rebel]

Sounds like the young striker lacks self confidence.

I would say in the majority of teams if you prove you're good enough, especially as a striker, you will play the majority of the time. 

Edited October 8, 2022 by Reading Rebel

[3spirit]

8 hours ago, Reading Rebel said:

Sounds like the young striker lacks a bit of self confidence.

I would say in the majority of teams if you prove you're good enough, especially as a striker, you will play the majority of the time. 

I'm not sure your second sentence happens in the majority of teams, as managers tend to give preferential treatment to their senior players.Where a new incoming striker can force his way into the reckoning is when he starts off with aplomb, and even better when he scores, and the team is noticeably improved by his taking part, especially if the results improve with his inclusion. 

If this young lad from two levels below is guaranteed a starting place in their first eleven and plays week in and week out with possibly a settled team [and could be with his mates] I can see why he has opted to stay with them. He may not know much about Slough, and our managers record of giving younger players a chance. However, playing for a team higher up in playing standards and ability can also be a graveyard for players who don't make the grade, so we shouldn't be too judgemental on his reasons for not coming to play for our team.

 

[Reading Rebel]

19 minutes ago, 3spirit said:

I'm not sure your second sentence happens in the majority of teams, as managers tend to give preferential treatment to their senior players.Where a new incoming striker can force his way into the reckoning is when he starts off with aplomb, and even better when he scores, and the team is noticeably improved by his taking part, especially if the results improve with his inclusion. 

If this young lad from two levels below is guaranteed a starting place in their first eleven and plays week in and week out with possibly a settled team [and could be with his mates] I can see why he has opted to stay with them. He may not know much about Slough, and our managers record of giving younger players a chance. However, playing for a team higher up in playing standards and ability can also be a graveyard for players who don't make the grade, so we shouldn't be too judgemental on his reasons for not coming to play for our team.

 

Sounds like you agree with me 3spirit.

If a young striker that's new to the squad proves he's good enough i.e. hits the ground running scoring goals it's pretty certain he'll be at the forefront in team selection.

It will depend on the lads ambitions.

If he want's to progress to his highest level possible, somewhere along the line he's got to take a chance and not keep in his comfort zone of playing every week with his mates.

Judging by what Unders said that possibly others were in his ear saying as soon as Ben and Elliott were fit they would take his place suggests to me that the player and others are familiar with us and our squad.  

Edited October 8, 2022 by Reading Rebel

[Guest Wycombe Rebel]

10 hours ago, Reading Rebel said:

Sounds like the young striker lacks self confidence.

I would say in the majority of teams if you prove you're good enough, especially as a striker, you will play the majority of the time. 

I would say he does not lack self confidence, just badly advised and he’s a young lad!

The lads advisors think he is destined for bigger and better things, scoring 30-40 goals 2 levels below as opposed to 10-20 for us would not generate the same interest in him from league clubs. They look at numbers, not the league he is playing in and can they develop him further!

Edited October 8, 2022 by Wycombe Rebel

[Reading Rebel]

2 minutes ago, Wycombe Rebel said:

I would say he does not lack self confidence, just badly advised and he’s a young lad!

Possibly, possibly not.

[Guest Wycombe Rebel]

He 100% does not lack self confidence